I just short of stole a case (12 quarts)of HD Syn3 20w-50 and i'm wondering if it perhaps has a shelf life and how to store it. i'm probably not going to use any of it untill this upcoming spring and perhaps next year if the shelf life permits. I've heard that storing it in a cold place is good, i'm thinking perhaps just a cool place w/ constant temperature and no exposure to sunlight would suffice. Has anyone here had to store quarts of oil or anything for any extended period of time? (mainly years)

 

IMO: oil is oil as far as shelf life is concerned, consider the MILLIONS of years it took to become oil. I don't believe if it is an unopened bottle, oil deteriorates like gasoline. I could be wrong but is there any chance of the oil having kids and getting sent to all your good friends here at hdforums

 

No shelf life that I know of.

 

Me either. Yet you pour it in an engine and all the sudden it's only good for three months even if you don't start it. Hmmmmmm.

 

Reason being exposure to moisture, fuel vapors and air, oil will deteriorate. Why would you store it in an engine you do not plan to run? Stored in its' origonal, onopened container - oil stays oil.